Stepladder



Dec. 2, 1924. 1,517,676

J. G. HAUGH STEPLADDER Filed Jan. 9, 1925 I Patented Dec. 2, 1924.

UNITED.

JAMES Gr. HAUGH, OF BASCOM, OHIO;

STEPLADDER.

Application filed January 9, 1923.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES G. HAUGH, residing at Bascom, Ohio, a citizen of the United States, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stepladders, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to provide a stepladder which will combine the very desirable qualities of foldability into a most compact state, rigidity and stability when opened out, will require no special looks or latch devices to hold it in an opened out condition, and which will be of a minimum of parts, thus making for inexpensiveness of manufacture and lightness.

My invention consists in whatever is described by or included within the scope of the appended claim.

In the annexed drawings:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a stepladder embodying my invention shown open for use;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof thestepladder being shown folded in dotted lines.

The embodiment of my invention shown in the drawings comprises the ladder member, 10, composed of parallel side bars and rungs or steps, a top platform, 11, having on its underside parallel cleats 12, to which the upper ends of the side bars of the ladder member are pivoted and a brace memher which may be similar to the ladder member in consisting of two side bars, 13, connected by horizontal cross-bars or rungs, 1 1, and the side bars being pivoted at their upper ends to the platform cleats. The ladder member, 10, and the brace member are connected by a pair of metal straps, 15, each strap being a simple straight bar pivoted at one end to a side bar of the ladder member and at the other end to a side bar, 13, of the brace member, the point of pivotal connections between straps and bars being much nearer the pivotal connection of the ladder side bars with the platform cleats than the pivotal connection between the brace side bars, 13, and the cleats so that when the ladder is open said straps extend downward and rearward from the ladder side bars to the brace member side bars and the pivotal connections of the straps with both side bars lie beyond vertical lines passing through the pivots of the side bars with the platform Serial No. 611,585.

so that a toggle efiect is produced. To look the step-ladder in its open position the top 16 of each brace side bar, 13, is flat tened so that when the ladder is open the top will bear against the underside of the platform and thus restrain any further turning of platform and side bars, 13, on their pivotal connection.

As shown clearly in Fig. 2 the pivots of the side bars of the ladder and brace members are directly below the points of contact of the upper ends of said side bars with the under side of the platform, 11, when the ladder is in an open position and there is contact between the underside of the platform, 11, and the upper ends of said side bars. This relative location of the pivots under the conditions just set forth. results in such a frictional binding engagement between said side bars and the underside of the platform as to prevent accidental movement of the parts concerned on their pivotal connections so that when the step ladder is moved about in an opened position there is no danger of collapse by the unintentional turning of said parts on their pivotal connections.

It will be observed that the straps, 15. are on the outer sides of the ladder side bars and the outer sides of the brace side bars, 13, and hence such straps 15 may be simply straight members and thus require minimum material.

The cleats on the bottom of the platform serve to stiffen or strengthen such bottom and also provide means for the pivotal connection of the ladder member, 10, and the brace bars, 18, permitting the ladder memher side bars and the brace bars, 18, to lie against the outer sides of the cleats and thus make a rigid connection between the ladder member and the platform that offers substantial resistence to strains in a direction crosswise of the ladder.

hen the stepladder is folded the platform swings on its pivotal connection with both ladder member, 10, and the brace member and is folded towards them and lies close against them when they lie alongside of one another.

What I claim is:

A step-ladder having side bars, a brace member having side bars, a platform having spaced parallel cleats on its underside to which the upper ends of said bars are pivot-ally connected overlying the sides of said cleats and straps consisting of straight bars pivotally connected With the side bars of said two members upon the outer sides thereof, the'iipper ends of the brace. side bars bearing against the underside of the platform When the ladder is open, the pivots connecting said bars and cleats being below the underside of the platform and being situ'eted in said side 10 J AMES G. HAUGI-I. 

